Planning Restrooms for an Outdoor Wedding, Festival or Job Site

Ask people what they remember about an outdoor event and the food and music usually come first. Ask what they complained about afterward, and restrooms come up more than you'd guess. The same goes for a job site, where a crew that has nowhere decent to go loses time and goodwill.

Good restroom planning isn't complicated, but it does take thinking about a few things before the event, not the week of. This guide covers what to consider for weddings, festivals, fairs, sports events and construction sites around Tyler, Bullard and East Texas.

Start with who's coming and for how long

The number of restrooms you need depends on how many people are attending, how long they'll be on site, and whether alcohol is served. A two hour backyard gathering is a different job than an all day festival or a month of site work. The count is something to work out with your rental company, which has seen how events of your size and type actually play out. As a general rule, longer events, drinking and large crowds all push the number up.

Think about the people, too. A wedding with elderly guests and small children has different needs than a weekend car show. If accessibility matters for your guests, mention it early so the rental company can plan for it.

Don't forget handwashing

A row of portable toilets without a place to wash up is only half the job. Handwashing stations let guests and workers clean up after using the restroom and before eating, which matters at a catered wedding, a food festival or any site where people share lunch. A good station has soap, paper towels and a supply of fresh water, with a tank that gets refilled when it runs low.

PrimeTime Plumbing rents portable toilets and handwashing stations together as a package, along with event sanitation covering restrooms, handwashing and waste disposal for festivals, weddings and corporate events. Putting it all in one order keeps the details in one place.

Think about placement

Where the units sit matters nearly as much as how many you have. A few things to think through:

• Put them on level, firm ground that a service truck can reach, even after rain
• Keep them close enough that guests can find them easily, but far enough from the food and seating area that smells don't carry
• Light the route if the event runs after dark
• At a large event, split the units into two or more clusters so lines don't pile up in one spot
• On a job site, keep them accessible to the crew but out of the way of equipment

Walk the property with the rental company if you can. They'll spot problems, like a soft shoulder or a gate too narrow for the truck, that are easy to fix on Tuesday and a mess on Saturday.

Servicing is what keeps them pleasant

A clean unit on delivery is expected. A clean unit on day three is what separates a good rental from a bad one. PrimeTime's guidance for events is to service portable toilets at least once daily while they're in use, which means pumping out, cleaning and restocking. For a multi day event, a long festival or an ongoing construction project, ask exactly when service visits will happen, and what to do if you need an extra one.

Disposal matters, too. Waste from portable toilets should go to a licensed treatment facility, and PrimeTime hauls it to one. Ask any company you're considering how they handle disposal. It's a fair question, and the answer should be easy.

Book earlier than you think

Spring and fall are busy in East Texas, with weddings, festivals, football season and a lot of building going on. Units go quickly in peak season. PrimeTime recommends booking one to two weeks ahead, and in the busiest stretches it's smart to go earlier. Early booking also leaves time for delivery, setup and any special requests.

When you call, have the basics ready: the date and location, how many people you expect, the start and end times, and anything unusual about the site. A rough headcount is fine.

A quick checklist before the big day

• Confirm delivery date, time and the exact placement of each unit
• Confirm servicing visits and a contact number for problems
• Make sure the handwashing stations are stocked with soap and towels
• Check that the delivery route and the pickup route are clear
• Tell your venue or landlord what's coming, if they need to know

PrimeTime Plumbing runs its own fleet of red portable toilets alongside its plumbing work, serving weddings, festivals, outdoor venues and construction sites around Bullard and Tyler. It also does RV pump-out for homes and businesses. To plan restrooms for your event or job site, call (903) 707-1503.